Re: How much power would result from splitting a proton?

Jonathan,

Please read the following response that I gave to a similar question
five years ago, then I shall elaborate.
 http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2002-02/1014052701.Ph.r.html

The short answer is that a "proton bomb" will never release energy;
it would be utterly useless as an explosive device.

A nuclear fission bomb releases energy because the fissile material
is a heavy element (uranium-235 or plutonium-239) with less binding
energy per nucleon than the decay products.  The difference in nuclear
binding energy is released in the explosion. (A chain reaction is
also a requirement for an explosion; that is, the first fission
must provide the stimuli for further fissions.)

A fusion bomb releases energy because the material to be fused
(deuterium and tritium, heavy hydrogen isotopes) are less tightly
bound than the fusion product, helium.  Again, the difference in
nuclear binding energy is released in the explosion.

In both cases, the reaction goes because the endproducts are more
tightly bound than the initial ingredients.  The isotope with the
highest binding energy per nucleon is nickel-62.  Any isotope
lighter than nickel-62 can release energy through fusion; any 
isotope heavier than nickel-62 can release energy through fission.

Chemical explosives work on the same principle.  TNT, for example, is
unstable while its reaction products, water, carbon monoxide, etc. are
more tightly bound.  The difference in chemical binding energy is
released in the explosion.

Since the proton is stable as far as we know, there is nothing more
tightly bound, more stable, into which the proton can be transformed.
Any attempt to split a proton will result in LESS stable particles.
Particle physicists use this property of the proton all the time to
create exotic short-lived unstable particles because they are
interesting to study in their own right.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapon_design
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_energy


--Dr. Randall J. Scalise    http://www.phys.psu.edu/~scalise/